


A beautiful start - an Elven love story

by Zip001



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire & Related Fandoms
Genre: F/M, Tolkien AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-23
Updated: 2016-08-23
Packaged: 2018-08-10 14:50:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,742
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7849375
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zip001/pseuds/Zip001
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This is for queen_naerys who wanted romance for Sansa and Rhaegar. I was much inspired by a sweet story by Raider-K involving Thranduil and his young lover and thought the premise would work well with Rhaegar being Thranduil and Sansa his much younger lover with some tweaks.</p><p>I made many changes from canon, especially with the Lyanna and baby Jon storyline.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A beautiful start - an Elven love story

**Author's Note:**

  * For [darth_invader](https://archiveofourown.org/users/darth_invader/gifts).
  * Inspired by [Kingsfoil](https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/223576) by Raider-K. 



> Rhaegar = Thranduil  
> Stannis = Bard  
> Jon = Kili  
> Aegon = Legolas  
> Elia = Thranduil's wife  
> OCs = Sansa, Ashara, Arthur, Joffrey, Rhaenys, Viserys

It was always the two of them - the King, Rhaegar and his little flame, Sansa, oft called his shadow although he felt that he was the one that followed her. She made him feel so young and full of life. 

One day, long ago, she had her pretty red head in the clouds, and he could not help but kneel down so that they were of the same height and craned his head upward to see what amused her today. Sansa chortled and called him silly (as he was always the silliest with her), but she pointed to the two butterflies chasing each other, spiraling and dancing, fluttering among the beautiful flower laden vines hanging on their beloved trees. She would whisper with her blue eyes so wide that she imagined herself to be the pale lavender one who followed the larger more vibrant midnight blue silver flecked butterfly. But when he watched the two do their dance, he noticed that it was the other way, the larger butterfly was mirroring the dainty flight of the pale lavender butterfly, and when the smaller butterfly looked like it was flagging or tired that it would swoop down and carry her. 

After she reached her maturity, Sansa still maintained that innocence and brightness, not ever jaded as elves tended to be after seeing unnecessary deaths and evil encroaching their beloved kingdom. Sansa tended to be delighted in everything, her mouth agape in wonder whenever the fireflies lit up the forest. Even now, she would flit about and whirl with the fireflies around her, giggling with delight. 

As a healer, his little flame cared for his kingdom, not only healing the physical scars but also mending the emotional scars of his people and of himself. While Sansa herself has suffered the losses of her parents and her brothers from Orc raids (she and her little sister were saved only because they were not home, tending their sheep), the loss did not destroy her positive outlook - she remembered their love and her love for them, knowing that they would be all reunited. It was her loving touch that Rhaegar leaned into and that always healed him when he was sometimes trapped in his horrific dragon dreams of being burnt alive; when he was screaming so loudly for all he lost, his father and his fellow warriors he led; and when he was unable to maintain his magical facade that covered his scars. She saw him at his worst and loved him still while his wife Elia flinched when she first saw the extent of his injuries.

Sansa was well loved by almost everyone, from the commander of his forces, Arthur, to his children, Aegon and Rhaenys whose mother Elia left for the Undying Lands when their eldest brother Viserys died in battle. She even won over many of the Sindar ladies with her beautiful embroidery and singing. She befriended everyone, Sindar and Silvan alike. And the trees loved her - she was able to heal some of them with her singing, those that were only slightly touched by darkness.

Yet there were some who were against her even being in the kingdom, citing that she would be a danger to them all. Sansa was a distant descendant of the treacherous Night's King, the maddest High King of Noldor. They looked at her red hair as a mark of evil, but Rhaegar looked in her heart and saw only goodness, kindness and such innocence. There was much evil in this world, and some even in his own mind poisoning his judgement and feeding his paranoia, but she was his light, his little flame who guided him through the valley of the dark and made him a better King. With her by his side, he had no fear because he knew they were in the right.

With his reluctant blessing (he could never deny her anything), Sansa the started a traveling healer program to provide medical care to the elves and humans living nearby, and encouraged him to bridge the communication gap and distrust with the people of Dale, thus, forming trade relations that were beneficial to both his kingdom and Dale. As she and a few of her fellow healers helped care for the men, from their birthing, tending their childhood injuries, healing their sicknesses and watching their decline to death, Sansa understood moreso than most the nature of the human spirit, the passion, hope/fighting spirit, and vitality from not having all eternity to live. With her counsel, Rhaegar became more patient and treated with respect many of the leaders from Dale.

But Sansa was not with him when Rhaegar decided to imprison the dwarves and especially when he decided to go into battle to retrieve what was his, the treasures that were taken and guarded by that dragon. She did not agree, shaking her head in disbelief and disappointment at his decision.

At first, he thought her reasons were tied to her unnatural friendship with one of the dwarves, the pretty one. Rhaegar was blindingly angry, even moreso than when he saw his son forming an attachment for her that was more than brotherly affection and which he nipped in the bud, reminding his son of his duty to the Kingdom, which meant a political marriage like his own. The thought of her holding hands with dwarven scum, singing to that fucking Jon (that was his name according to Arthur whose eyes widen at surprise at his ire) as she had done for him, her best and most beloved friend, filled him with such rage - he felt like he was a dragon spitting out green fire. Yet Rhaegar knew that she did not betray him and their kingdom and that the hobbit the dwarves mentioned as their travel mate must have helped them escape. He trusted her with his life - she would never do him any harm.

Shame, guilt, and sadness washed over him. Even cradled in their favorite tree, listening to its gentle song and feeling its love, he felt a sense of emptiness. The Battle of the Five Armies took so many of his brave warriors, including Sansa's sister Arya who fought so fiercely in the first line. Sansa would hate him - his greed and stupidity has led his people to ruin, like the ruin on his face and body and spirit. The sickness of their beloved forest was the manifestation of the darkness in him. Rhaegar knew that it is he that has doomed his kingdom, his people, and his little flame.

As he muffled a cry, slender arms held him and gentle lips kissed his long silky hair.

"You were right. All of the deaths - I am so sorry," he cried.

"Aran nin, you were right and not only because the King is always right but if you and our brave warriors were not there, evil would prevail and destroy us all. Only with the combined forces of the dwarves and the brave men of Dale, and a hobbit, could we even had a chance to defeat evil, for that is what we all did."

"But you know that was not why I set off -"

"Nay, it may not have been your intent but instead of deserting the dwarves and men when you could, you stood firm and my heart father Arthur told me that you led the first attack, with him at your side, against those vile monsters."

"But your sister -"

"She died as she lived - fierce, brave and loyal, defending her King, her fellow warriors, and her kingdom. I do miss her, as I do my parents and brothers, but valar willing, I will see them again."

Her gentle kisses and her hugs soothed his soul. Rhaegar was so relieved that he did not lose her love - he did not know if he could go on without it. But he knew that he was undeserving of her love, that Aegon, his noble son and her close friend, was more deserving, that even that dwarf Jon was likely more worthy. He saw before he left the looks Stannis the Bowman gave to his little flame, and he could not blame him, for she was so beautiful when she was helping others. That man would be King and would need a Queen - humans could remarry.

Rhaegar could not marry for he was a married elf. Even though the marriage was a rare political match, it produced three children, beloved by them both. His wife sailed and was waiting for him in the Undying Lands. But he did not love his wife, never ever loved her, and vowed to never sail. 

Rhaegar admitted to himself long ago that his heart belonged to his little flame, whose gentle touch stoked such a fire in him, a fire hotter and brighter than dragon-fire. He knew his feelings were wrong, to be in love with the foster child raised by Arthur, his childhood friend and the commander of his forces, and Ashara, Arthur's sister, and who played with his younger children who were of the same age. Sansa was a gentle warrior- valiant like Arthur and sweet as Ashara - with her weapons against darkness being her bright spirit and her love.

Rhaegar was ashamed that his decisions that day mainly revolved her, instead of thinking of his Kingdom. He raged at the dwarves, thinking of one who even thought to steal her sweet heart; he wanted to take back the jewels to drape on her sweet body; and he fought the monsters to protect his people, with her being foremost in his mind. He could not let evil snuff out her bright light.

"My little flame, you want to see the best in everyone, especially in me. But there is darkness in me, so much that it is eating me from the inside out," he confessed as he trembled in her arms.

Before he could continue with his confession, Sansa covered his mouth with hers and kissed him. With that kiss, it seemed like the heavy veil that blanketed his soul was lifted - he could see clearly for the first time. He saw the love and desires in her eyes, how she trembled with his touch, his hands grabbing her hips, her cheeks flushed and her swollen lips ready to be kissed again and again. The sun shone against the back of her head, illuminating her.

======

The waiting was more than difficult - it was tortuous. Because most of the forces left with their King, with only fifty remaining, leaving the palace lightly defended, all elves were called into the caverns and were in a state of ready for possible attacks. Many of the daily activities halted as weapons were forged and sharpened, and the elves who were typically in the fields, the kitchens, the sewing rooms, etc. all diligently trained on weapons they only practiced with in their youth and/or used during the last war. Sansa helped Princess Rhaenys to organize the elves into two shifts - one that maintained the running of the castle while the other trained with bows, knives and swords. Knowing almost everyone, Sansa made sure each shift were equally balanced in terms of skills, personalities, Silvan/Sindar mix and ages.

Breathing shallowly, Sansa pulled back her arrow and prayed that she would not hit her fellow elves in her shift who smartly trained as far away from her as they could. Her skill, or lack thereof, was legendary - many said that Arya's spectacular skills with the bow is only matched by her sister's lack of skills with the bow. But Sansa refused to give up - she had to protect the kingdom. She could not let her king down.

Before the arrow released, Barristan held her arms back. He was one of her heart fathers, who helped in the raising of both her and her sister and sweetly doted on her heart mother, Ashara.

"Relax, my lady. You are too tense."

Sighing, she exclaimed, "I am absolutely useless at this. Perhaps if I aim away from where I want to hit, I would do better."

Chuckling, Barristan said, "You could hardly do any worse."

Sansa could not help but giggle. The other elves nearby smiled as she was still one of the youngest elves although she had not been an elfling for some time. Hearing her sweet laughter, they each more diligently trained, so as to protect their children and their children's children as well as the King's little flame.

"It is that I want to be able to defend the kingdom - I want to make the king proud." Sansa looked at him with sad eyes.

He snorted and not gracefully either - his Silvan ways coming forward.

"Little one, it would never come down to that. You and Rhaenys are to be the center, our most precious jewels - you are to be defended. We would all die to protect you... Keep Lady Ashara close to you and the princess."

Turning around, Sansa realized that she and her friend, Princess Rhaenys, each had two guards. She originally thought her guards were for Lady Ashara, Ser Arthur's beloved sister, now realized that they only followed her. 

"But why? I am only -"

"It is the King's command - you are to be protected as you are precious to him," Barristan said with finality, a tone in his voice that almost all knew better than to argue. But yet both sisters stubbornly would, with Arya usually screaming loudly at the tops of her lungs as if she could win by sheer volume while Sansa would try to win through a battle of wits, countering his statements with usually well thought arguments against them.

"All the elves in the Kingdom are precious to the King," she countered, "It is better they protect others."

"You are needed to help lead. The princess has yet to master your skills of diplomacy or organization; and gentle Lady Ashara too stricken to help. You cannot fall."

Barristan's eyes were no longer twinkling with amusement and marked the severity of his statements. The king trusted her, and she would not let him down.

There were large booming sounds, and the trees screamed evil and intruders.

With a clear voice, she ordered Barristan to lead her shift to defend the perimeter of the palace, waiting for the enemy to penetrate the defense created by the sick trees that poisoned the minds of their enemies and the healthy trees that snagged and slowed them down. Once the few broke free from the enchanted woodlands, the archers in her shift would bring them down while the others would replenish their arrows. 

Watching from the stone tower, she saw her shift quickly extinguishing the threat. And she hoped that her King, her sister, Arthur, and their people were all safe. 

As the second shift relieved the first, they awaited word about the main battle. Many of the elves were stricken with worry, with her heart mother the most affected and visibly crying in anguish, causing others to gently cry too. Lady Ashara was such a sensitive soul and oft succumbing to bouts of depression that only she was able to lift with her songs. Sansa heard stories that Ashara's true love died in the last war and that she was so close to fading away. They said she did not because she had Sansa and Arya to raise and care for.

Raising her voice, she sang to her people of spring, how life begins anew from the previously frozen lands, how the ice melts and waters the soil which is enriched by the remains of the dead flora and fauna, how the green buds fight to break through the hard crust of the soil, and how they bloom to the most wondrous flowers. And so too will their kingdom grow stronger and be reborn. The beautiful voices of all the elves, including Ashara's tremulous voice, joined hers to sing of the pride of and their love for their king, their trees and their place in this world. So loudly that she hoped that her king could hear, feel and be fortified by their faith in him and their love for him.

Once the battle was won, she arrived along with the wagons of food and supplies (clothing, bedding and warm blankets) for the men of Dale whose homes were devastated from the battle and the dragon fire. She saw his pain that he tried to hide from her, but he waved her away to administer care for the wounded as he organized the distribution of the much needed food and supplies and met with the new king of Dale, Stannis, to discuss rebuilding and the support the Northmen needed from the elves. She was relieved to find Arthur and the prince Aegon mostly unharmed and much saddened to find her sister perished, defending her mate Gendry. She found small comfort that Arya died with her love and that they would be together in death, as they were in life.

Instead of speaking with her in private as he normally would, Rhaegar visited each wounded warrior and gave them thanks for their bravery and sacrifice; and then he immediately left to attend to his kingdom, leaving her behind to care for the wounded men and to be his emissary in dealing with brave King Stannis, who was not used to his title although it was well deserved. The poor man looked highly uncomfortable whenever anyone called him king, scowling and grinding his teeth, but the decisions he made were mostly wise and well thought out.

As always, Ser Barristan continued to guard her steps, making the weirdest throat sounds whenever he felt the human king was too close to His King's little flame. It became almost a game when she whispered to Stannis the strange sounds Barristan was making whenever they were close; and they spent much times in the closest of proximity, finding the smallest rooms to be in, sitting so closely that their knees almost knocked with each other until Barristan finally erupted and physically pulled her away, telling her that she was giving the new king wrong ideas about the respect she had for him. The man, while the most worthy among all men he knew, was not for her. She was meant for someone who would cherish and love her for all eternity. He knew - she could not hide anything from him.

Her eyes looked sadly down as the one she truly loved all these years were not for her. Sansa knew of another lady who tragically fell for and whose affections were rebuffed by the King. That distraught lady, Lady Lyanna, was rumored to jump from a mountain to her death in heartbreak. Sansa would never act in that way, never wanting to dishonor her heart parents, and tried to be content with being a close friend to the king, nothing more. 

Sansa remembered when she first fell for her King. Sheltered by Lady Ashara and Ser Arthur from most of the rumors, she never realized how some Sindars were much affronted by her very existence and her presence in the kingdom until Joffrey, another elfling, screamed that she was an abomination! She ran and ran through the woods with the trees trying to slow her dangerous run and every time she was about to fall, they held her gently back and left twigs in her long red hair. Tired and spent, she climbed the great tree, the mother of all the trees, that the King said was his favorite. Curled into a small ball, she cried uncontrollably, not wanting to harm the kingdom, her heart parents who were both so good and kind, or her king. Strong arms held her, and she smelled the clean pine smell of Rhaegar enveloping her. He sang to her, cooing words of love, and her heart swelled with love for him. He told her that he was not his father or his father's father or the father of his father's father. And she was not the Night's King or even the dusk princess - she was his little flame, the brightest light in his kingdom and in his heart. 

After the seventh day away from the King, she felt such shooting pain in her heart, such deep sorrows that were pent up and finally overflowed. With a cry, she race back home with Ser Barristan besides her, steering the boat across the river dividing the Elven kingdom from Dale and jumping from tree to tree to reach the Great Tree. 

Once he saw his King in the tree, Barristan stayed far behind to protect the privacy of his King and his yet unproclaimed Queen. The branches of the trees joined together to shield the two from view.

When Sansa saw the King crying, she immediately held him and kissed him, seemingly hundreds (nay, thousands) of butterfly kisses on his hair, his elegant neck, his shoulders and his back as her arms held him tightly against her body. He was in so much pain! When he turned around, she saw the desire in his eyes, the same in her heart and soul. He thought he was a monster but he was not, far from it. As he was about to speak poorly of himself, she silenced him with a chaste kiss that lit a fire in both and deepened into passionate kisses and touches. She just could not get close enough to him. Sansa needed him so. And he reciprocated her passionate grinding of her body against his with the most lovely keening and his fingers cupping reverently her breasts as if they were the finest wine goblets, and he slowly and thoroughly feasted on her sweetness.

Heady with his kisses and soft caresses, she whispered, "If this be darkness, let us be blind but I cannot believe that this is wrong, what we feel. Love cannot be wrong."

Rhaegar agreed and plunged in, feeling the rapture intertwining his body with his fea. There were singing all around them - from the trees heralding their new queen, from Rhaegar as he crooned his love for his queen of love and beauty, and from Sansa who sang sweetly as her cup runneth over and over and over and over again with pure joy and love. 

Ser Barristan heard the sweet songs and smiled, knowing that it was done. His King finally found his true queen, and there would be joy!

**Author's Note:**

> The title comes from Sarah Bareillis' song "I Choose You." I was thinking of this song as I watched my nephew and his friends Pokemon Go.
> 
> _There was a time when I would have believed them_   
>  _If they told me that you could not come true_   
>  _Just love's illusion_   
>  _But then you found me_   
>  _And everything changed_   
>  _And I believe in something again_
> 
> _My whole heart_  
>  _Will be yours forever_  
>  _This is a beautiful start_  
>  _To a lifelong love letter_


End file.
